11-year-old hides in closet, uses shotgun to scare away intruder

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LAPEER COUNTY, Mich. (WNEM) — An 11-year-old used a shotgun to scare an intruder away from their home.

The 11-year-old was home alone when a vehicle entered the driveway. The individual knocked on all the doors and then forced entry into the residence, the Lapeer County Sheriff’s Department said.

The child hid in a bathroom closet with a shotgun, police said. The bathroom and the bathroom closet were eventually forced open by the suspect.

The 11-year-old aimed the gun at the suspect and the suspect fled from the residence, police said, adding the child was not harmed during the incident.

“Her father is an avid hunter, she is familiar with weapons and inside that closet is where the gun case is,” Detective sergeant Jason Parks told WNEM.

The sheriff’s department responded to the house on Five Lakes Road in North Branch Township just before 4 p.m. Friday.

The suspect’s vehicle was located in Imlay City, about 30 minutes after the incident, and stopped by Imlay Police, Almont Police Department, Michigan State Police and Lapeer County Sheriff’s deputies, police said. The occupants of the vehicle were taken into custody.

James Wasson, 53, of Detroit, and Rhonda Steward, 31, of Detroit, are in custody at the Lapeer County Jail. They are charged with first-degree home invasion, second-degree home invasion, and burglary tool possession.

Wasson is also charged with receiving and concealing stolen property valued between $1,000 and $20,000, felon in possession of a firearm and firearm with commission of a felony.